Perfectly Simple Roasted Pumpkin Seeds

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Well, Halloween is coming up. Have you carved your pumpkin yet? How about making a night of it and roasting some pumpkin seeds too? This is a favorite snack for my entire family, but especially my husband. Bonus! Pumpkin seeds are nutritious, too! They’re a great source of magnesium and (plant-based) protein.

Pumpkins being carved, and seeds being collected in a pan.

Roasting pumpkin seeds is really fun and easy when you know how to do it. When you don’t, you can make a big mess and end up with seeds that are either burnt or hard and not golden brown.

I personally had a hard time with pumpkin seeds. An attempt with butter yielded not-so-satisfactory results. They were either burnt or they would be really greasy and not crunchy at all. I would leave them on a paper towel overnight and they would get stuck to the paper towel, leaving me to throw everything away. So I did some research, this time, to figure out what I was doing wrong and tried the below technique which turned out really well. Sometime soon, I’m hoping to try a sweet version as well. Keep your eyes peeled.👀

This foolproof “recipe” yields perfectly golden pumpkin seeds, every time! Keep reading to learn the easiest way to clean those slippery seeds.

This “recipe” 😉 is based on 1 cup of seeds, we usually get about 3 cups, but it really depends on your pumpkin size and how many pumpkins you have. 1 cup is usually the average amount of seeds in 1 pumpkin.

Roasted Pumpkin Seed Tips & Tricks

These simple tips will help you yield delicious roasted pumpkin seeds with minimal fuss.

How to Remove Pumpkin Seeds

Using a sturdy and sharp knife, carefully remove the stem and surrounding area from the top of the pumpkin. Be careful and pay attention here, we don’t want any missing fingers! Then, use a large serving spoon, ice cream scooper, or your pumpkin scooper, to transfer all the pumpkin seeds to a colander. Discard any large pieces of pumpkin flesh or pumpkin “strings” before you put the seeds in the colander. Try to clean as much of the pumpkin flesh off the seeds as possible.

Note: If you have dry, sensitive skin, you may want to wear disposable gloves to protect your hands. Pumpkin contains some naturally-occurring acids that can cause irritation, I personally haven’t had any, but have seen others have issues.

How to Clean Your Pumpkin Seeds

I’ve tried several techniques, and I found this to be the best way. Run water over the seeds and swish them around, removing any obvious bits of pumpkin flesh along the way. Drain off the excess water.

Next, lay them out in one layer onto a lint-free, clean towel, such as a flour sack towel. With a different lint-free, clean towel, lightly pat them dry. They don’t have to be “bone” dry, just dry to the touch. Once they’re dry, place them into your mixing bowl. Some seeds will stick to the towel, but just pick the seeds off (this is why it’s important to use a lint-free towel), and put them in the bowl.

single layer of pumpkin seeds on a baking sheet ready for baking.

Prepping Seeds

Toss the seeds with a few basic ingredients: Oil and salt. If you want to add spices, do that later. They tend to burn during baking.

How to Roast Pumpkin Seeds

Spread the seeds onto a large, rimmed baking sheet lined with parchment paper for easy cleanup or a silicone mat (it will also prevent the seeds from sticking to the pan). Pour the seeds onto the pan, and make sure it’s one thin layer.

Bake at 325 degrees Fahrenheit. I found this to yield a toasty result without burning them, and without needing to babysit and stir them every 5 minutes. Bake them for 20 minutes, then stir them about. Bake again for another 20 minutes. You’ll know the seeds are done when they’re fragrant and lightly golden, as you see in the photo below.

close up of pumpkin seeds after baking in the oven.

Directly after taking them out of the oven, you can add and stir in spices if you’d like. Let cool for 15-20 minutes, and ENJOY! I like to store mine in a mason jar, but you could also divide them into little snack bags as well.

Cooled, leftover pumpkin seeds will keep at room temperature for up to 2 weeks.

Pumpkin Seed Flavor Variations

Salt should be added, no matter what, but you can choose other ingredients to create your own fun flavor variations. Here are some ideas:

Olive or Avocado oil: I use peanut oil, but maybe you have an allergy, if that’s the case, olive or avocado oil provides a nice neutral backdrop for your seeds.
Freshly ground black pepper: Pepper is an easy way to add an irresistible, savory note and a little spice.
Ground spices: For even more flavor, stir in some warming spices once the seeds are out of the oven. You could do a pumpkin spice blend, or use golden curry powder (just beware that curry powder will tint your fingers yellow). Have fun and experiment with different flavors! I’ll try some different ones and share the mixes as I create them. If you have one and are willing to share it, comment below!

Air Fryer Option:

I tried this one cup of seeds and it turned out perfect! I wouldn’t do this personally… only because we’re usually carving 4-5 pumpkins and usually end up with about four to five cups of seeds. But if you’re only doing 1 or 2 pumpkins, this is a great option.

Pumpkin seeds in one layer in an air fryer tray.

You do everything the same, clean, oil, and salt, but you put them in your Air fryer instead. I have an Insignia Digital Air Fryer with a basket that goes into the fryer. To prevent seeds from falling out of the tray, I used a tray liner.

I recommend doing it one cup at a time to ensure a single layer, but if you can fit 2 cups and still have a single layer, then I say go for it.

Set your Air Fryer to 325 degrees Fahrenheit and bake for about 15-20 minutes (depending on your air fryer).

That’s It!

ENJOY and Share!

Let me know what you thought! Your star ratings with your comments are tremendously helpful! I love seeing friends and family come together over food. If you take a picture, tag me on Instagram or Facebook! Use @alwaysjennsmith & #alwaysjennsmith. Or share it on this post’s Pinterest Pin!

Need other ideas for pumpkin? Try some of these recipes to get your house smelling even more like fall!

Please let me know how you like this recipe in the comments! Your star ratings with your comments are tremendously helpful, too.

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Perfectly Simple Roasted Pumpkin Seeds